Improvement in mechanical calculators



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. H. HAM, Jr, Mechanical Calculawr.

Paienied Apri! 8, 5879a To all whom it may concern:

"*tal calculation or arithmetical'process whatsurface a table of costs, with a longitudinallyof the slot with a table of fractional parts, and

.be any described, and then specifically desig- ;nated in the claims.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HENRY H. HAM, an, or PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IMPROVEMENT IN MECHANICAL CALCULATORS.

Specification forming; part of Letters Patent No. 214.128, dated April 8, 1879 application filed October 25, 1878.

Be-i't liuown that I, HENRY H. HAM, J r., of Portsmo th, inthe county of Roekinghain and State of N ew Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Calculating- Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled-in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawin s, and to letters of reference marked thereofi, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of devices commonly called calculating-machines, and used-for performing certain mathematical operations mechanically, the object in the presentinstance being to provide a machine which shall give, simply by an inspection of the tahies of figures, the cost of any ordinary fractional parts of a pound, 'ard, bushel, or gallon at any price in common use without any menever; and the invention consists in the combination of a rotating cylinder, having upon its slotted inclosing-case, provided at each side in certain details of construct-ion, which will In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus complete, showing the slotted inclosing-case with one series of the fractional price-list, which forms the outer surface of the cylinder, appearing in the slot. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the case and cylinder on the line 3/ y of Fig. 1, and shows the relative positions of the case and cylinder. Fig. 3 shows a vertical longitudinal section of the machine on the line as m of Fig. 1, parts of the cylinder being shown complete with its lines of figures. Fig. 4 illustrates the arrangement of the table of prices on the outside of the cylinder reduced to a plane surface.

The construction of the apparatus is as follows: Two end pieces, A and A, of the form shown in Fig. 1, or of any other suitable for furnishing a substantial base for sustaining the other parts of the machine, are connected by the longitudinal ties B B. These tiesare preferably of triangular shape, and are secured in recesses or gains cut in the end pieces, so as to hold them firmlyin place. Over these end pieces, and secured to them by screws or other means, is placed the outside case, 0, preferably of metal, and having the slot a cut through it for nearly its whole length. I

In the end pieces are placed the journalbearings b and b, the bearing 1) being provided with a broad collar upon the inside of the-end pieces. A shaft, D, passes through these hearings and carries the cylinder E, a milled wheel, F, or other suitable device being attaehed to one end of the shaft for the purpose of rotation. In order to prevent the cylinder from being too easily turned a washer, c, is interposed between the collar of the bearing 1) and a spring, 0, which presses against the end of the cylinder, the pressure of the spring upon the washer producing suflicient friction between it and the collar to prevent unnecessary movement of the cylinder. The outer surface of this cylinder is divided into rectangular spaces by the lines d, which encircle it, and the lines 6, running longitudinally from end to end.

Within the right-hand series of rectangular spaces encircling the cylinder'are placed the fig ures representing the full cost of one pound, one yard, one bushel, or one gallon of the article the cost of fractions of which it is desired to determine. In the presentinstance this scale runs from one-eighth, by eighths, to a whole number, and from that to thirty-three; but it is evident these numbers may be changed to suit the prices of whatever material the machine is to be used for calculating. Lengthwise of the cylinder the lines at give seventeen spaces, thus giving the cost of the fractions of an article by sixteenths and multiples thereof, although this arrangement may be readily changed to suit the divisions of the metrical or any other system it may be determined to use. These lines and figures are stamped or engraved upon the surface of the cylinder; or

they may be printed or written upon some flexible material, which is afterward wrapped around the cylinder and secured thereto.

' The outer case, 0, is also provided with four longitudinal rows of rectangular spaces, two

2 I I r 214,128,

above and two below the slot a, formed by the lines 1, which run from end to end of the case, and the transverse lines 0, running circumferentially around the circular part of the case. Each of theserowsrepresents a system of measurement--as, in liquid measure, the first space represents one gallon, and the others fractions thereof clown to one. gill. Avoirdupois weight isirepresented. by one pound and fractions thereof to a half-ounce, and soon with clothmeasure and dry measure, which are repre- 'sented' by one yard and one bushel, with the fractions thereof in common use.

To operate the machine, turn the cylinder until the 'flgures representing the cost of a pound, gallon, bushel, or whatever weight or measure is used appear at the right-hand end of the slot in the case; then run the eye along the scale representing the weight or measure used until the fraction representing the weight or measure of the article is reached, when, by referring to the figures in the corresponding space upon the cylinder, as seen through the slot in theease, the price of the article is found inscribed upon that space.

Should it be desired to ascertain the quantity .to be given for a certain sum of money,

we proceed as follows: Turn the cylinder until the price of a gallon, bushel, yard, or a full number of whatever system is used appears in the slot of the case at the right hand of the machine; then look along the line until a. figure is found corresponding with the sum of money to be invested, when the figures in the corresponding space of the row representing fractions of the weight or measure wanted will represent the quantity of the article required to equal in value the money presented.

.Where the scales upon the machine areits surface the table of costs, with the longitudinally-slotted inclosing-case 0, provided at each side. of the slot with the table or tables of fractional parts of weights and measures, all arranged for use substantially in the manner shown and described.

'2. The rotating cylinder, in combination withthe spring at its' end, the washer 0., and

broad-collared journal-bearing b, for the purpose of producin g friction to prevent a tooeasy rotation of the cylinder, as set forth.

In testimony that I ciaim the foregoing as my own I hereunto aflix my signature in presence oftwo witnesses.

HENRY H. HAM, J It.

Witnesses:

E. A. DICK, 6 F. H. Scnocrr. 

